The present invention relates to a bipartite intraocular lens, and more particularly to an artificial intraocular lens for implantation in an eye, such as in the posterior chamber, after extracapsular removal of the natural eye lens, that may be inserted through a minimum size incision into the eye, and that includes an oblong miniature lens body or optic, having position fixation means, e.g. haptics, which is coactively mounted in a ring shaped, partially contractible, differential thickness, unitary tension frame formed of a tension band and temporarily contractible wings, the wings having light-masking means for inhibiting light rays directed toward the outer edge portions of the lens body from being scattered thereby toward the retina after the lens has been implanted in the eye.
For treatment of conditions such as natural eye lens cataracts, a known eye surgery procedure is to remove the cataracted lens through a minimum size incision in the wall of the cornea of the eyeball, and replace it by an artificial intraocular lens as an internal implant lens. One specific surgical procedure involves the extracapsular removal of the natural eye lens, leaving portions of the posterior lens capsule intact to serve as a positioning site for the intraoculaar lens to be implanted in the eye.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,409 to Kelman discloses a one piece intraocular lens of the above type, having a small size, e.g. oblong, lens body or optic, flexible position fixation haptics, and deformable masking means, such as laterally disposed flat planar wings temporarily contracted to provide the lens with a reduced girth permitting insertion through such a minimum size corneal incision into an eye. Upon implantation, the wings mask the optic side edge portions to overcome the edge glare effect of otherwise scattered incoming light rays at the peripheral marginal regions of the small size lens, such light masking being achieved by leaving the wing surfaces in rough, unground, condition, or by providing an opaque coating thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,547 to Konstantinov et al shows a grooved, circular intraocular lens received in a circular ring shaped thin haptic having five radially outwardly extending arms for mounting the lens across the iris in the anterior chamber of the eye. No light masking wings of the above type are present.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,593 to Poler etches a lens and haptic material laminate blank to form an array of individual modules, each comprising a circular lens prelaminated integrally to the inner edge of a circular ring shaped, fenestrated, web-like haptic, to provide intraocular and contact lens structures, by way of mass production technique. Each lens has a 6-9 mm diameter and each haptic has an outer diameter of up to 20 mm. No light masking wings of the above type are present.
It would be desirable to provide a minimum size intraocular lens for implantation in an eye, after extracapsular removal of the natural eye lens, permitting efficient insertion as an intact lens system through the same minimum size corneal incision used to remove the natural lens, and at the same time provide light-masking means for the lens body, while utilizing a structurally simple arrangement of parts, readily manufactured at relatively low cost from widely available materials.